Methods of applying labels to bottles and apparatus therefor



April 13, 1965 A. ROHBOGNER METHODS OF APPLYING LABELS TO BOTTLES ANDAPPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March 2. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet l I lMQMQwQQMQQQQQQQ G M V m s m. 1 I k0 k eweQQQQQQQKQAQKQAQQ a a0 Q 2Mme/var A/0/5 Rohbogner By his affomeys April 13, 1965 A. ROHBOGNER3,173,329

METHODS OF APPLYING LABELS TO BOTTLES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March2. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 By his afforne s W A ril 13, 1965 A. ROHBOGNER3,178,329

METHODS OF APPLYING LABELS TO BOTTLES AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed March2. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 3

5 22 5' 5' 5' I L l I 22 O 0 0 o o o 0 o o o 0 l l F; s' I 5' by 5' Iif/T L; Ti T T 77 mum/0r A /0/5 fPa/rbogner By his olfomeys MAM UnitedStates Patent R 27, 15 (Ilairns. (Q1. 156-259) The invention isconcerned with improvements in or relating to methods of labellingbottles, and apparatus therefor.

Numerous arrangements have been proposed for applying labels to bottlesby machine, but in such arrangements either individual separate labelsare used which are stored in bulk in storage containers or alternativelya roll of labelling material is provided from which individual labelsare torn off prior to being applied to respective bottles. In each casethe known arrangements used to apply the labels to the bottles haveinvolved the use of complicated gripping devices to select each labeland to bring it individually into contact with a corresponding bottle soas to cause it to adhere to said bottle, said gripping devices eitherbeing operated in a plurality of Working stages or, not being capable ofcontinuous, automatic operation. The disadvantages of these knownarrangements lie therefore not only in their dependence upon suchcomplicated label gripping devices but also in the fact that theiroverall speed of operation is inadequate for them to be capable ofsatisfactorily fulfilling the requirements of modern high-speedproduction. This is particularly so in the case where the bottles to belabelled are beer bottle which in up-to-date brewery plants which handlea very great number of bottles, have to be labelled without any delay soas to avoid any hitches in the production lines.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a method oflabelling bottles, together with apparatus therefor, by means of whichthe above referred to disadvantages are substantially eliminated and thelabelling of said bottles may be simply yet expeditiously carried out.

Broadly speaking the present invention consists in a method of labellingbottles wherein a continuous strip of adhesive labelling material isfirstly brought into contact with a series of bottles, wherein a part ofsaid labelling material is caused to adhere to each of said bottles, andwherein the labelling material is subsequently divided along a series oflines each located between a pair of adjacent bottles.

Similarly, the invention also consists in apparatus for labellingbottles comprising means for conveying a series of bottles along a path;means for dispensing in contact with said bottles a continuouslyextending strip of adhesive labelling material; means for causing a partof said strip of labelling material to adhere to each of said bottles;and means for subsequently dividing said strip along a series of lineseach located between a respective pair of adjacent bottles.

In greater detail the invention consists in applying a continuouslyextending strip of adhesive labelling material tangentially to bottleswhich freely stand upright at intervals on a conveyor belt which ismoved with the said strip at a constant speed, the arrangement beingsuch that when the strip impinges against said bottles, part of saidstrip is cemented to each of said bottles by means of resilientpressure, and division of said strip into separate portions adheringrespectively to corresponding bottle is effected 'by said resilientpressure acting upon the strip after it has been applied, whereaftereach separate portion, which represents a label, is rolled completelyonto its corresponding bottle in one or two stages during the uniformcontinuous further movement of the bottles.

If the adhesive on the strip is provided at the edge of each of thoseportions of the strip which become the separate label portions, the restof each label portion can be rolled on by means of a single rollingmovement. However if said adhesive is, for certain reasons, providedonly in the centre of each of those portions of the strip which becomethe label portions, then two rolling movements in opposite sense ofrotation are required.

Rolling on of the label portions can be conveniently effected during theuniform continuous further movement of the bottles on the conveyor beltby causing said bottles to pivot thereon about their respective axes, sothat the relative position of the bottles to each other on the conveyorbelt is not changed, although the degree of pivotal movement of thebottles of course depends upon the size of the label portion to berolled on.

The resilient pressure exerted for cementing the labels may be obtainedby a pair of endless rotating belts of sponge or foam rubber (orcorresponding belts of synthetic material) arranged respectively onopposite sides of the conveyor belt and adjacent to the bodies of thebottles. These belts may be moved by means of driving rollers and,supporting rollers may be provided to press said belts against thebottles, the nature of the belts themselves eusuring that resilientpressure is obtained.

The application of the strip of labelling material to the bottlesrequires belts which are driven with uniform speed, this speed beingequal to the speed of the conveyor belt, and separation of the stripinto label portions occurring by reason of expansion of the resilientbelt when not compressed against the bottles.

To effect the pivotal movement of the bottles about their axes, at leastone second pair of belts may be provided, one of which belts is drivenat a higher speed than the conveyor belt, whereas the other belt isdriven at a lower speed than the conveyor belt.

A further characteristic of the invention consists in disposing thevarious operating parts of the apparatus symmetrically with respect tothe conveyor belt so that label portions can be ailixed simultaneouslyon opposite parts of the bodies of the bottles in one operation i.e. forexample front and back labels.

A particularly great advantage of the invention is that it isunnecessary to use pre-gummed or pre-printed labelling material sincethe gumming or printing thereof may be carried out as a function of theapparatus itself, for example, prior to the application of the strips tothe bottles. The same is true for the embossing of the labellingmaterial. For this purpose a label embossing device and/or a labelprinting device is arranged ahead of any adhesive applying device whichmay be incorporated in the apparatus.

The labelling material itself may be perforated at certain intervalse.g. at intervals which correspond to the width of the labels. Theintervals may alternatively be larger, namely if the material is storedfolded in a manner known per se rather than rolled. If however, as ispossible, a label cutting device is provided, preferably for operationprior to the adhesive applying device, this may be arranged to preparethe strips into label portions which remain connected to each other onlyby few, e.g. two, narrow bridges.

One embodiment of strip labelling material according to the inventionprovides perforated strips along the two longitudinal sides in order tomake it possible to ensure that the movement of the strip from thestorage roll or the like to the place of contact with the bottles issynchronous with the movement of the conveyor belt whereon the bottlesare transported. These perforated strips may also be trimmed by a secondcutting device included in the apparatus and located for operationpreferably before or at the same time as the label glueing device.

Finally it may be mentioned that all the working parts of the apparatusmay be rigidly coupled to each other to provide synchronous operation ofthe apparatus as a whole. I

A preferred embodiment of the invention is diagrammatically illustratedby way of example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 represents a plan view of'a bottle-labelling apparatus,

FIGURE 2 represents a plan view in enlarged scale of part of thearrangement shown in FIGURE 1 together with a further part of theapparatus, and

FIGURES 3 and 4 illustrate respectively two alternative constructions oflabelling material which may be used on the apparatus shown in FIGURES land 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a conveyor belt whereon areplaced upright a series of bottles 2 arranged relatively in spacedalignment as shown and maintained in said spaced relationship by a wormdevice 3, the spaces between adjacent bottles being predeterminedaccording to the width of the labels which are to be applied to saidbottles. The conveyor belt 1 is moveable in the direction of the arrow Xshown in FIGURE 1 and is driven at a uniform speed. Disposed on eachside of the conveyor belt 1 are storage containers within each ofwhich'is arranged a roll 4 of labelling material which is peeled 01f theparent roll in the form of a continuously extending strip 5 which ispassed through printing arrangements 6 (upper half of FIGURE 1) orembossing arrangements 7 (lower half of FIGURE 1) which successivelystamp on the strip passing therethrough the design required for eachlabel. Subsequently, by means of a guiding roller 8, the strips 5 areeach passed to a respective cutting device 9 which perforates the stripdelivered thereto so as to leave only narrow connecting bridges joiningeach part of the strip having a label design printed or embossed thereonto the next adjacent part whereon is printed or embossed the next labeldesign.

After the strips 5 have thus been preperforated, they are passed torespective guiding rollers 11 to adhesive depositing devices which applyadhesive to one side of each of the strips, whereafter said adhesivestrips are fed so as tocontact the row of moving bottles 2 on the belt1.

If it is necessary to trim the strips 5 in any way prior to feeding themon to the bottle 2, this can conveniently be effected by a trimmingdevice located at 12, so that the strips have adhesive applied to themand are trimmed virtually at one and the same time.

The strips 5 are fed onto the bottles 2 substantially tangentially aswill be evident from FIGURE 1, and are pressed respectively againstopposite parts of the Walls of the bottles by pressing devicescomprising respectively endless belts 13, 13 made of thick foam orsponge rub her, and driven by rollers 14 so as to move in the samedirection and at the same speed as the bottles 2 on the belt 1. As shownclearly in FIGURE 1 between each of the rollers 14 of each pressingdevice are arranged smaller 21 diameter supporting rollers 15 whichensure that the strips 5 are properly applied to the bottles 2 passingbetween the belts 13 and 13'.

The efiect of these belts 13, 13 is not only to ensure that the adhesivestrips are caused to adhere to the bottles 2 passing between said belts,but also to cause the strips to divide along the lines of perforationapplied previously by the cutting devices 9 as explained. This happenssince, as each pair of adjacent bottles has the adhesive strip pressedon to it by the belts 13, 13' the belts press towards each other ontothe lines of perforation located on those portions of the strips whichextend connectively between each of said pair of adjacent bottles andwhich portions are of course substantially parallel to the belts 13,13'. Thus when the bottles 2 emerge fiom between the belts 13, 13', eachhas a complete separate portion of each of the strips 5 adheringthereto, said portions including a complete label design, in thearrangement described one such design having been printed by theprinting arrangement 6 and the other design, applied to the oppositepart of the body of the bottle, having been embossed by the embossingdevice 7.

Each of the bottles 2 with its two separate portions respectively fromthe two strips 5 adhering thereto is now passed between a first pair ofrolling devices similar in construction to the pressing devices andcomprising respectively sponge or foam rubber belts 16, 16' driven byrollers 17 between which are smaller diameter sup-' porting rollers 18.The belt 16 is driven at a higher speed than the conveyor belt 1, whilstthe belt 16 is driven at a lower speed than the said conveyor belt 1,with the result that the bottles 2 are caused to pivot about the axes sothat thus one side of the label portions is slowly rolled round toadhere to its respective bottle body, the difference of the drivingspeeds of the belts 16, 16 being chosen so that the pivoting of eachbottle is just sufiicient for this rolling-on action to take place.

The bottles are now passed on the conveyor belt 1 between a second pairof rolling devices, identical to the first mentioned pair of rollingdevices and comprising sponge or foam rubber belts 19, 19' driven byrollers 20 between which are smaller diameter supporting rollers 21. Inthis case however the driving speed of the belt 19 is lower, and that ofthe belt 19' greater than the driving speed of the conveyor belt 1, withthe result that each of the bottles 2 is now pivotal about its axis in adirection opposite to that in which it was pivoted when passing throughthe belts 16 and 16' of the first pair of rolling devices. The remainingor other side of the label portions are thus rolled on to theirrespective bottle bodies, so that when the bottles emerge from betweenthe said belts 19, 19', the label portions are completely adheringthereto.

It is possible to combine with the second rolling device, e.g. with thebelts 19, 19, an arrangement, known per se, for attaching neck labels orneck foils so on leaving the conveyor belt 1 the bottles 2 are quiteready for dispatch without further treatment. In this case the belts 19,19' are of greater length.

FIGURE 3 illustrates a strip 5 wherein individual label portions 5 havebeen perforated by the cutting device 9. The individual label portionsthus being connectively joined to each other only by narrow bridges 22as previously referred to.

An alternative label portion 5 having longitudinally extendingperforated strips 23, as well as the bridges 22, is shown in FIGURE 4.Where this type of label portion is used the strips 23 are severed alongthe broken lines shown at 24 by means of the previously mentioned trim:ming device 12.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States is:

1. Apparatus for labelling bottles comprising means for conveying aseries of bottles in upright position along a path; means for dispensingin contact with the sides of said bottles a continuously extending stripof adhesive labelling material; resilient pressure means separate fromsaid conveying means for causing a part of said strip of labellingmaterial to adhere to each of said bottles, and means cooperating withsaid resilient pressure means for subsequently severing said strip alonga series of lines each located between a respective pair of adjacentbottles.

2. Apparatus for labelling bottles comprising means for conveyingbottles in upright position along a path; a pair of resilient endlessbelts arranged on opposite sides of said path for co-operation with saidseries of bottles conveyed therealong; means for applying an adhesivecoating to one side of a continuously extending strip of labellingmaterial; means for partly pre-cutting said strip in identical portionsand means for introducing said strip between one of said pair of beltsand the bottles co-operating therewith, the material of said one beltbeing such as firstly to cause the strip to adhere to said bottles andthereafter to cause said strip to separate Where partly pre-cut into anumber of identical portions each of which, after separation remains inadherence with its respective bottle.

3. Apparatus for labelling bottles comprising mews for partlypre-cutting a continuously extending strip of labelling material into anumber of adjacent sections; means for applying an adhesive coating toat least a part of said partly cut strip; a first pair of drivingrollers; a first resilient endless belt driven by said first pair or"driving rollers; a second pair of driving rollers; a second resilientendless belt driven by said second pair of driving rollers and havingone run separated from said first resilient endless belt facing andtravelling in the same direction as one run of said first resilientendless belt; means for introducing a series of bottles in uprightposition between said runs; and resilient means for introducing saidstrip between said bottles and one of said runs the material of one suchbelt being such as to cause the strip to adhere to said bottles andthereafter to cause it to divide into identical portions which thenremain in adherence with its respective bottle.

4. Apparatus for labelling bottles comprising means for conveying alonga path a series of bottles having circular cross-sections; means forpartly pre-cutting a continuously extending strip of labelling materialinto adjacent sections; resilient means for applying said strip againstsaid bottles; means cooperating with said resilient means for separatingsaid strip at the places where precut when such places are locatedbetween respective pairs of adjacent bottles; and means for rotatingsaid bottles about their axes whilst being conveyed along said path soas to cause a section of said labelling material to be pressed on toeach of said bottles.

5. Apparatus for labelling bottles comprising a conveyor belt forconveying a series of bottles along a path; resilient means for applyingtwo continuously extending strips of labelling material to oppositeportions of the bottles and for subsequently separating said stripsalong a series of lines each located between a respective pair ofadjacent bottles; means for rotating said bottles so that one half ofeach of said separated portions is pressed against a respective one ofsaid bottles; and means for counter-rotating said bottles on saidconveyor belt so that the other half of each divided portion is pressedagainst said respective bottle.

6. The method of labelling bottles comprising conveying a series ofbottles in spaced positions along a predetermined path, bringing acontinuous strip of adhesive labelling material into contact with theseries, causing at least a part of said strip to adhere to the bottle inan are at the place of contact, applying resilient pressure to saidstrip between said bottles and causing the strip of labelling materialto separate between each pair of adjacent bottles.

7. The method of labelling bottles comprising conveying a series ofbottles in spaced positions along a predetermined path, bringing acontinuous strip of adhesive labelling material tangentially intocontact with the series, applying resilient pressure to cause at least apart of said strip to adhere to each of said bottles, applying resilientpressure to said strip between said bottles after said adherence tocause separation of said strip between each pair of adjacent bottleswith the separated portions remaining in adherence to their bottles, andthen applying resilient rotative pressure to each bottle to causeadhesion of the entire label to its bottle.

8. The method of labelling bottles comprising partly precutting twocontinuous strips of labelling material into a series of adjacentsections, applying adhesive to at least a center portion of eachsection, conveying a series of bottles along a predetermined path inspaced positions, bringing said adhesively coated portions into contactwith the series of bottles and causing them to adhere to the bottles,applying pressure to said strips between each pair of said bottles andcausing the strips of labelling material to divide where precut betweensaid sections, and causing said bottles to rotate and counter-rotatewhile applying pressure to make each section adhere entirely to itsbottle.

9. The method of labelling bottles comprising horizontally conveying aseries of free-standing bottles in spaced positions along apredetermined path, continuously moving a continuous strip of adhesivelabelling material and impinging it tangentially against each bottle ofsaid series along a narrow perpendicular section which forms part of alabel portion, applying resilient pressure at least to said narrowsection to cause the labelling material to adhere along said narrowsections to each bottle, applying resilient pressure upon said stripbetween adjacent adhered narrow sections to sever said strip, androlling each severed label portion completely onto its bottle during theuniform continued conveyance of said series of bottles.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the rolling on of thepreviously unadhered label portions is effected by application ofresilient pressure and limited rotation of the bottles about theirrespective axes.

11. Apparatus for labelling bottles comprising at least two pairs ofcooperating endless moving belts of thick resilient material, a conveyorbelt transporting a series of bottles in upright position, said thickbelts being arranged on opposite sides of said bottles, means to feedcontinuous strips of labelling material between said bottles and saidthick belts, supporting rollers pressing said thick belts and labellingstrips against said bottles and applying pressure against said thickbelts and labelling strip to cause separation of said strip betweenadjacent bottles into individual labels.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 having cutting devices to partiallyprecut said labelling strips into individual labels, and adhesivedepositing devices for applying adhesive to said strips after saidprecutting and prior to engaging the bottles.

13. A method as claimed in claim 6 in which the resilient pressure isapplied as the bottles move along said predetermined path by a forcewhich moves parallel with the bottles but at a different speed than thebottles, thereby causing rotation of the bottles as they proceed.

14. A method as claimed in claim 7 in which the resilient pressure isapplied as the bottles move along said predetermined path by a forceWhich moves parallel with the bottles but at a dilferent speed than thebottles, thereby causing rotation of the bottles as they proceed.

15. A method of labelling bottles comprising causing a continuous stripof labelling material to be partly precut along a series of lines into aseries of adjacent sections, applying adhesive to a centre portion ofeach section, bringing said labelling material into contact with aseries of continuously moving bottles in such manner that theadhesively-coated centre portions of said mate- 2,596,179 5/52 Seymour54-53.5 rial are applied to said bottles, applying resilient pressure2,621,823 12/52 Perry 156-215 to said strip to cause it to divide alongsaid series, of 2,636,835 4/53 Boulware 154-535 lines when locatedbetween a pair of adjacent bottles, 2,643,016 6/53 Steckling 156-489 XRsubsequently rotating and counter-rotating said bottles 5 2,776,068 1/57Johnson 156-493 XR so as to cause the entire sections to adhere to saidbottles. 2,787,941 4/57 Aldrich 156-213 2,873,040 2/59 Manas 156-493 XRReferences Cited by the Examiner 2 9 9 105 1 1 Jones 15 475 UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2 291 280 7/42 Joplin 1S6 522 XR 1 EARL M. BERGERT,Primary Examiner. 2,438,089 3/48 Carson 156-213 CARL KR n r-

6. THE METHOD OF LABELING BOTTLES COMPRISING CONVEYING A SERIES OFBOTTLES IN SPACED POSITIONS ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH, BRINGING ACONTINUOUS STRIP OF ADHESIVE LABELING MATERIAL INTO CONTACT WITH THESERIES, CAUSING AT LEAST A PART OF SAID STRIP TO ADHERE TO THE BOTTLE INAN ARC AT THE PLACE OF CONTACT, APPLYING RESILIENT PRES-